Launching a new product or service is a delicate balancing act. Without a feasible way to gauge when consumers and stakeholders are ready, a new product/service release remains a risky venture. A recent research article by Robinson and Veresiu tackles this challenge by introducing the concept of 'temporal legitimacy' — launching a product when both the company and its customers are ready.1 The framework provided by the article can help businesses decide the best time to release a product, thus increasing the chances of success and reducing the risk of failure. Our essay offers practical insights for product development managers, marketing managers and innovation strategists on how they can time new product and service launches while avoiding the pitfalls of poorly timed innovation
1 The article 'Timing Legitimacy: Identifying the Optimal Moment to Launch Technology in the Market' by Thomas Derek Robinson and Ela Veresiu, featured in Volume 88 of Journal of Marketing, talks about how to create the optimal technology product launch moment and avenues of future research on market timing beyond technology launches
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There is excitement when a company launches a new technology product but there are risks involved as well. There is a chance of failure for even the most advanced products, if they are launched at the wrong time. Take the example of Google Glass, a cutting-edge augmented reality device, which was launched with a lot of fanfare, but ultimately failed, as people and regulators weren't ready for its features.2 On the other hand, Ray-Ban's Meta smart glasses, launched years later, found success as they matched market needs at the right moment.3
Google was not alone in its struggles with Google Glass. About 95% of new products fail, often due to poor timing.4 Lacking a structured approach for assessing when consumers and other stakeholders are ready, businesses often rely on guesswork, which risks wasted resources and missed opportunities.
The principles of optimal launch timing can be applied across industries, including consumer goods, fashion, food and automobiles. With examples from different sectors, we can establish guidelines on how companies can reduce risks, avoid failures and make the most of their innovations.
Timing is a critical factor that can make or break a product launch. To address the issue, the research by Robinson and Veresiu introduces the concept of 'temporal legitimacy'— for a product launch to succeed, the company needs to align its actions with market readiness.
Even the most innovative technologies can fail if introduced too early or too late, as happened with Microsoft Zune.5 Despite being a technically sound product, the Zune failed because it was launched after Apple's iPod had already captured the market and set consumer expectations. On the other hand, Tesla's electric vehicles (EVs) succeeded because the company planned the launch during a time when environmental concerns and government incentives were aligned to create a demand for sustainable transportation solutions.6
The timing of a product launch is not just a lucky coincidence; it depends on two critical factors:
By combining these two dimensions, there are four possible market timing scenarios (see Figure 1): The graph can help managers assess whether their firm's efforts and market readiness are aligned, thus allowing them to identify potential risks and opportunities before launch.
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| Firm-Led Coordination / Stakeholder Readiness to change | Low Readiness | High Readiness |
|---|---|---|
| Low Coordination | Adverse Timing E.g.: Google Glass, launched in 2013, before the market was ready and faced privacy concerns and social resistance | Flexible Timing E.g.: Early streaming services where consumers were prepared, but firms lacked infrastructure and business models9 |
| High Coordination | Inflexible Timing E.g.: Early electric vehicles where companies pushed, but charging infrastructure and consumer adoption lagged10 | Optimal Timing E.g.: Apple iPhone (2007) when Market demand, technology and stakeholder readiness were perfectly aligned11 |
Source: Developed by the author based on the article by Robinson and Veresiu
Understanding these scenarios allows companies to identify where their product launch falls and what steps they need to take to improve their chances of success. For example, if stakeholder willingness is high but the company's efforts are insufficient, it may miss an opportunity to capitalize on favorable market conditions. Conversely, if the company tries to force a launch without stakeholder readiness, it risks wasting resources and damaging its brand.
Successfully timing a product launch requires strategic planning, market analysis and stakeholder engagement. The following framework provides actionable steps for managers to achieve 'temporal legitimacy' and addresses how firms can transition to optimal timing.
1. Assessing market readiness: The first step in planning a product launch is to assess the market's readiness for the new technology. This involves understanding consumer behaviors, regulatory landscapes, and cultural trends using consumer research, pilot testing, and closely watching industry dynamics. Key steps include:
Ÿ Aligning with stakeholder expectations: This includes ensuring compliance with laws and regulations before launch. For example, drone companies like DJI work closely with aviation authorities to meet safety standards and gain public trust. Companies can also build support from key opinion leaders who can shape public perception, taking a leaf out of Meta's book and leveraging influencers to showcase the practical and stylish features of its smart glasses.12
companies like Ford to test car designs and gauge consumer responses before committing to physical prototypes, saving time and resources.13
2. Firm-led coordination: Once market readiness is assessed, companies must actively prepare the market for their product. This could include:
Ÿ Building ecosystems: This can be done by creating complementary products and services to enhance the core product's value, such as Apple's seamless ecosystem of devices and services, which amplifies the appeal of each product.14
Ÿ Educating stakeholders: Companies need to inform and excite consumers about a new product's breakthrough features. For example, Dyson – a consumer durables company – invests in marketing campaigns and in-store experiences to educate consumers about new products.
Ÿ Iterative prototyping and feedback: This allows firms to test and refine their products while building excitement among early adopters. For instance, OpenAI regularly releases beta versions of its AI models, gathering feedback from developers and businesses to improve functionality and user experience before broader launches.15
Tesla's EV strategy between 2004 and 2013, offers a winning combination of both steps.16 Tesla recognized growing environmental concerns and government incentives for sustainable energy as signs of market readiness. The company addressed these concerns with the launch of a high-priced EV roadster for early adopters, followed by models that increasingly met the mass market needs for both performance and environmental benefits.
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While much of the discussion on temporal legitimacy focuses on launch timing, there are other factors such as cultural and geographic contexts that also have to be taken into consideration:
Ÿ Uneven market readiness: Even if a product appears well-timed, different customer segments or geographic markets may not be equally ready. Take the case of McAloo Tikki. McDonald's successfully adapted its product lineup to India by introducing vegetarian-friendly options and spices suited to local tastes.17 However, their attempt to introduce the McAloo Tikki burger in the US failed due to a lack of demand, showing that timing and cultural fit must be carefully assessed.18
Ÿ Decision-maker biases: Managers might misinterpret market signals and overestimate stakeholder willingness to adopt a product. Relying on gut instincts or selective data can lead to mistimed launches, as happened with the 'world's cheapest car', Tata Nano.19 The launch failed due to a combination of cultural biases, misaligned messaging and infrastructure limitations.
Ÿ Technological dependencies: Some innovations depend on external infrastructure or ecosystem factors that may not be fully developed, just like electric vehicles did have broader engagement before charging stations became widespread.
Decision Tree for Timing Optimization
Ÿ Risk of moral licensing: Companies investing heavily in pre-launch engagement may feel justified in rolling out features, assuming stakeholders will accept them. Reiterating the example of Tata Nano, while the company positioned the car as an affordable vehicle for lower-income consumers. However, many viewed it as a symbol of poverty rather than a desirable purchase.
Ÿ Managerial tunnel vision: Over-focusing on launch timing can lead companies to neglect other critical factors such as pricing, distribution and customer support, which are equally essential for success.
Ÿ Changing competitive landscape: Even if a company successfully times its launch, a sudden shift in competitor strategy, consumer trends, or regulations can render that timing suboptimal. Coca-Cola had to change its strategy in Japan, where consumers prefer lighter and tea-based beverages.20 The company had to introduce customized product lines like Ayataka Green Tea to fit local preferences.
Ÿ Cost considerations: Achieving perfect timing requires continuous investment in market monitoring, internal coordination, and strategic flexibility. Companies must consider the financial, human resource, and technological costs of maintaining market readiness
By acknowledging these limitations, companies can adopt a more flexible and adaptive approach, ensuring that timing decisions are continuously reassessed rather than treated as a one-time choice.
In addition to addressing limitations, businesses need a sustainable approach to managing market timing. This involves continuous monitoring of market trends, iterative testing, and proactive engagement with stakeholders. Below are strategies to build this capability:
Ÿ Invest in market research: Companies should use advanced analytics to monitor shifts in consumer behavior, emerging trends and competitive landscapes. For instance, Netflix continually analyzes streaming habits to refine its content and release strategies.21
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products or offering limited releases allows companies to gather feedback and refine their offerings. OpenAI's GPT series is a prime example of how iterative releases build stakeholder engagement and trust. Virtual reality and augmented reality tools help companies help refine products and fix costly design errors before launch. Ford's use of such technology enables consumers to simulate interactions with new car models in the form of virtual prototypes.
Ÿ Develop flexible launch plans: Market conditions can change rapidly. Having flexible timelines and contingency plans allows companies to adapt. For example, video conferencing tools like Zoom rapidly scaled during the Covid-19 pandemic, capitalizing on unexpected demand.22
regulators, consumers and influencers ensures alignment and minimizes resistance. Tesla's partnership with governments for setting up charging infrastructure is a case in point.
The concept of 'temporal legitimacy' provides a foundation for improving a company's timing of product launches. Aligning innovation with market readiness is not just a one-time effort—it is a continuous process that requires investments in market research, technology and manpower. These investments and the resulting capability of right timing can help companies transform new product launches from hit-and-miss affairs to reliable successes.
| Ambica Ghai is an AI researcher. You can reach out to her at ghaiambica@gmail.com | ||
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| This article may contain links to third party content, which we do not warrant, endorse, or assume liability for. The author’s views are personal. If you have some inputs you would like to share, you can also reach out to us at mpi@spjimr.org | ||
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1Thomas Derek Robinson and Ela Veresiu, “Timing Legitimacy: Identifying the Optimal Moment to Launch Technology in the Market,” Journal of Marketing, December 5, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429241280405.
2Pavan Kumar Galiveeti, “Why Google Glass Failed? — Importance of Product — Market Fit(PMF),” Bootcamp (blog), June 22, 2023, https://medium.com/design-bootcamp/why-google-glass-failedimportance-of-product-market-fit-pmf-768b02a50ce1.
3Team Counterpoint, “Ray-Ban Meta Crosses 1-Million Mark; Success Indicates Promising Future for Lightweight AR Glasses,” November 18, 2024, https://www.counterpointresearch.com/insight/post-insightresearch-notes-blogs-rayban-meta-crosses-1million-marksuccess-indicates-promising-future-for-lightweight-ar-glasses.
4John T. Gourville, “Eager Sellers and Stony Buyers: Understanding the Psychology of New-Product Adoption,” Harvard Business Review, accessed March 10, 2025, https://hbr.org/2006/06/eager-sellers-and-stony-buyersunderstanding-the-psychology-of-new-product-adoption.
5Sneha Mali, “Microsoft Zune: The MP3 Player That Never Stood a Chance,” Cognitive Market Research (blog), July 28, 2018, https://www.cognitivemarketresearch.com/blog/microsoftzune-the-mp3-player-that-never-stood-a-chance.
6Amy Wu, “Tesla's Got the Keys: A History of Its Success,” Investopedia (blog), January 11, 2025, https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personalfinance/061915/story-behind-teslas-success.asp.
7Juliette Caminade and Jonathan Borck, “The Continued Growth and Resilience of Apple's App Store Ecosystem,” Analysis Group, no. May 2023 (n.d.).
8Kabir Ahuja et al., “Ordering in: The Rapid Evolution of Food Delivery | McKinsey,” McKinsey & Company, September 22, 2021, https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-andtelecommunications/our-insights/ordering-in-the-rapidevolution-of-food-delivery.
9Traci Ruether, “History of Streaming Media [Infographic],” Wowza (blog), February 21, 2023, https://www.wowza.com/blog/historyof-streaming-media.
10Energy.gov, “The History of the Electric Car,” Energy.Gov (blog), September 15, 2014, https://www.energy.gov/articles/historyelectric-car.
11Claudio Giachetti, “Explaining Apple's iPhone Success in the Mobile Phone Industry: The Creation of a New Market Space,” in Smartphone Start-Ups: Navigating the iPhone Revolution, ed. Claudio Giachetti (Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2018), 9–48, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67973-0_2.
12Influencer Editorial Team, “How Ray-Ban and Meta's Smart Glasses Are Changing the Game for Influencers,” October 9, 2023, https://influencermagazine.uk/2023/10/how-ray-ban-andmetas-smart-glasses-are-changing-the-game-for-influencers/.
Date article submitted: Nov 15, 2024 Date article approved: Mar 1, 2025 Date article published: Mar 31, 2025
Images courtesy : www.freepik.com
13
Leo King, “Ford, Where Virtual Reality Is Already Manufacturing Reality,” Forbes, May 3, 2014, https://www.forbes.com/sites/leoking/2014/05/03/fordwhere-virtual-reality-is-already-manufacturing-reality/.
14Wang Doo Djin, “Dyson Premium Branding and Luxury Innovation 101 Guide,” March 2, 2025, https://wdd.my/blog/themarketing-genius-behind-dyson-premium-branding/.
15Quanta AI, “Inside OpenAI's Strategic Direction for Growth -Quanta Intelligence,” October 13, 2024, https://quantaintelligence.ai/2024/10/13/technology/insideopenais-strategic-direction-for-growth; “(34) Inside OpenAI's Marketing Machine: How Their Team Shapes the Future of AI | LinkedIn,” accessed March 14, 2025, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/inside-openais-marketingmachine-how-team-shapes-future-datacrash-bcwdf/.
16Elon Musk, “The Secret Tesla Motors Master Plan (Just between You and Me),” Tesla Motors (blog), August 2, 2010, https://web.archive.org/web/20100802142703/http://www.tesl amotors.com/blog/secret-tesla-motors-master-plan-justbetween-you-and-me.
17Swarn Kamal (FCSI), “(7) McDonald's Success in India - The Complete Story | LinkedIn,” January 14, 2023, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mcdonalds-success-indiacomplete-story-swarn-kamal/.
18CHRIS MATYSZCZYK, “McDonald's Just Sneaked a Truly Controversial New Burger Into the U.S. and Hardly Anyone Noticed,” December 22, 2018, https://www.inc.com/chrismatyszczyk/mcdonalds-just-sneaked-a-truly-controversial-newburger-into-us-hardly-anyone-noticed.html.
19Rohit Gupta, “(7) From Aspiration to Ashes: Decoding Product Failures - The Tata Nano Case Study | LinkedIn,” accessed March 10, 2025, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-aspirationashes-decoding-product-failures-tata-rohit-gupta-9w6hf/.
20WARC, “Coca-Cola Takes Unique Approach in Japan | WARC,” accessed March 10, 2025, http://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/news/coca-cola-takesunique-approach-in-japan/en-gb/25384.
21David Pierce, “Netflix's Price Hikes Aren't Going to Stop Anytime Soon | The Verge,” The Verge, January 26, 2025, https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/26/24351302/netflix-priceincrease-streaming-wars.
22stephanie tonneson, “What Explains Zoom Video's Success During the Coronavirus?,” ZoomInfo Blog (blog), accessed March 10, 2025, https://pipeline.zoominfo.com/marketing/zoom-videogrowth-coronavirus.
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